Elena stood by the stairs, gazing up into the darkened upstairs. Jeremy was mercifully still asleep and Elena was glad she wasn't going to have to see him right at this moment. She was torn with the information that Elijah had shared. Things were beginning to spin out of her control and the tangled web of lies, truths and half truths were beginning to make her head hurt. They had listened to Klaus and his version of what Ailsa was, but had not been eager to jump at the chance to join with him. Klaus only ever looked out for himself, and after what had happened with Tyler and Bonnie none of them had any interest in dealing with him again.

But if Ailsa was bent on destroying the Originals it was a problem for them all, but if she was only truly here to kill Elijah they didn't have to worry. Elena's hand strayed up to her left shoulder gently touching a relatively new scar. She knew who had sired the Salvatore brothers and she had paid dearly for that knowledge. Elena desperately wanted to share it with the others, but she couldn't bring herself to tell them the bargain she had struck for it. She knew they would be angry and tell her that the price had not been worth knowing, but for Elena it had been.

Elena took a deep breath and quickly and quietly left the house. She knew where to go, and without letting her mind wander over everything that could go wrong she made her way purposely to the old house. The old lady who had owned it had died over a year ago, and the property hadn't sold. It wasn't anything special, and the house was so run down that no one wanted to sink money into fixing it up. It was a perfect situation for a vampire who didn't want to have any complications or people asking questions, especially nosy siblings.

The door wasn't locked and Elena pushed it open, gingerly stepping into the dark and dusty interior. "Hello?" she tentatively called out.

"Living room."

Elena closed the door and made her way into the small front living room, her eyes widening slightly at the stark contrast of the room compared to the rest of the house. Here it had been cleaned. A long, low couch faced a darkened window, and a rather large and new looking TV stood in the corner. Cole turned his dark eyes to smile smugly at Elena.

"Just couldn't stay away could you love," he quipped.

Elena scowled. "I have information for you."

"Yes I know." He stood and stretched lazily. "You are behind the time, but still," his smile lightened his face but Elena knew that it was hid a deadly mind, "I appreciate your loyalty."

"My coming here has nothing to do with loyalty," Elena snapped, her face darkening as anger poured into her body.

"Awh, yes," Cole laughed, "Anger is a delicious feeling isn't it?"

His words had the opposite effect as Elena immediately let go of the anger and took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Cole watched her in curiosity. He wasn't quite sure about her, but knew that she was entertaining to watch. And he enjoyed the fact that he was able to have some control over one of Klaus's pets. For as sure as Klaus wouldn't admit it, Elena was clearly a favorite or else she wouldn't still be alive, even with all of the times that Klaus had stated he would kill her, his usually cunning plans never seemed to do the trick.

"Well, go ahead, say what you've come to say."

Elena clenched her jaw in frustration. "There is a woman here who can kill you."

"Yes I know."

"What are you going to do about it?"

Cole shrugged. "Nothing at this point. There really isn't too much that can be done, now is there?" His eyes glittered with malice.

"I don't believe that. You wouldn't be standing here so relaxed if there wasn't something that could be done," Elena narrowed her eyes.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. We've lived a long time, perhaps this is the time to say goodbye," Cole grinned. "But perhaps there is something that can be done." He took a step closer. "I'll tell you what, give me some time to think on it and I'll let you know."

"There isn't time for games Cole," Elena gritted her teeth trying not to let the anger rise again and take over. "We have to do something now to protect you and your siblings."

"Perhaps," Cole took another step the jovial nature slowly being replaced with the dangerous predator that he was, "but you do not need to worry about it all quite yet. I will find you soon and let you know what you can do."

"I'm not your servant. You can't order me around," Elena shot back.

"Oh but I can, or else you would have told your precious Salvatore lovers what you've done."Elena opened her mouth to respond but quickly snapped it shut again. "Yes, just what I thought. Go home Elena." He turned his back on her and flopped down on the couch ignoring her presence. Elena knew better than to argue or reason with him. Out of all the Originals Cole was one that she didn't trust at all. She did not see any redeeming qualities in him at all. She turned on her heel and stormed at the house, followed by gentle laughter.

"Well played brother," Rebekah lazily clapped as she stepped into the room. "But we do have a rather serious issue to attend to."

"You're the one with the information." Cole replied.

"And you're the one with the means," Rebekah dryly commented. She walked around him and slowly sat down opposite her brother. "Why do you insist in staying here? Surely Klaus would let you have a room?"

"No doubt, but as long as you can keep your pretty little lips shut, I have a place that Klaus cannot bother me at."

Rebekah gave an angry flip of her blonde hair. "If he wanted to, he would know where you're at and what you're doing."

Cole shrugged. "Sure I know. But for now he doesn't and I like it that way." He leaned back into the couch. "So what do you propose we do?"

"Send your pet on a little trip," Rebekah smiled but it did not reach her eyes. "What we need is ironically not too far from here. I happen to know a witch whose ancestors have done a marvelous job at keeping certain plants alive and hidden from prying eyes."

"And how is that you have this miraculous information?" Cole asked genuinely curious.

"If there is one thing that I've learned from Klaus, it is to always pay attention to him. Elijah never shared anything of consequence with me no matter how many times I asked, but Klaus said enough that I knew to be prepared." Rebekah stood and walked over to the window pulling back the dark shade, glanced outside and winced. "There isn't a lot of information out there about these Watchers, but I was able to find enough and mother…" she tensed for a moment and Cole watched her closely. She turned and straightened her shirt. "Mother revealed a little of how we were created."

Cole's eyes snapped to attention. He stood up and stared at his sister. "What did she say?"

Rebekah lifted her eyes to stare directly at him. "She spoke a little on how she was able to change us, about what the process entailed. It wasn't a full confession and there were not a lot of details but I was able to piece together enough information. Ailsa did her best to eradicate the only living things that could affect her, but the witches were smart to hide some. It is never wise to be defenseless against those that could harm you."

Cole raised an eyebrow. "Living things?"

Rebekah nodded. "Yes, a certain group of plants when combined produce the only toxin that can compromise a Watcher."

"And why don't you go get them yourself?" Cole asked titling his head in curiosity.

"I would but I don't particularly want Klaus to know what I'm doing."

Cole looked slightly taken aback. "Not going to tell big brother? I'm shocked at you Rebekah. After all the years you've dutifully devoted to him, and you're not going to share it. I should feel honored you've come to me then." He gave a small mock bow.

"Don't flatter yourself." Rebekah snapped. "Just send Elena to get the herbs and we can be rid of this problem."

Cole smiled mischievously. "We'll see, we'll see."

Klaus was furious. They were defying him…again. He had gone to them in good faith and wanted their help. But they had been reserved and unyielding. He just couldn't understand why they would hold it against him what had happened with Tyler. He had had it all worked out with Bonnie and the recovery of his body. And he couldn't resist a little fun with Caroline. In the end everything had worked out, but they acted like he had killed Tyler. Klaus paused, his drink half poured. He gave a small smile, well perhaps he had. He topped off his glass and took a quick drink, the amber liquid smoothly sliding down his throat.

Elijah refused to answer him and if he knew his brother, he wouldn't be able to follow though and do anything about her. And Rebekah was off who knew where again. Klaus tightened his grip on the glass. Once again he was left alone, left to pick through the mess and figure a way out. And he always figured out how to survive one way or the other.

Elijah stood, just off to the side, deep in the shadows of the drive staring at the mansion Klaus had acquired for himself. His siblings were the only thing in the world that he had a connection to. There wasn't anything that he had acquired or vampires he had turned that had been able to take the place of his siblings. But even though Elijah had stood with his siblings through every trail and tribulation they had endured, the time had finally come where he questioned his loyalty. She was the only other thing that could do that.

He stared at the house going over his options. He knew full well that Klaus would be working on something to ensure his survival regardless of whether or not Elijah worked with him. Rebekah would follow Klaus in the end as she usually did, and he was not aware of Cole's current location, only that Klaus had a direct line to him and would call him if he felt the need. Elijah could stand by his siblings once again, but if they were to survive this they would need help. Help from a Watcher. The one named Blackwell seemed a likely candidate as he already tried to destroy Ailsa. Elijah could tell Klaus what happened, and Klaus would no doubt seek out Blackwell and make some kind of deal ensuring their safety.

Yet, Elijah paused in his thinking, tilting his head to the side lost in thought. If Ailsa was tasked with destroying him perhaps any Watcher would not be interested in helping. He just didn't know enough about the Watcher's to understand where their loyalties would lie. But it would be an option to consider. And there was another mysterious woman that Elena had mentioned, that could be another piece to the problem whether for good or bad.

Elijah stiffened as other thoughts raced through his mind. He could stand by Ailsa and let her finish her task and lift the name of Betrayer. He could confess all to her, ask her for forgiveness and close his eyes and end everything. He wondered if she really could go through with it and watch him die. What would she do, he mused. His thoughts abruptly stopped as he heard the distant crunch of tires meeting gravel. He stepped back further in the shadows and watched as Rebekah's car went past him. Elijah stayed hidden in the shadow long after Rebekah had entered the house, not sure what path he was going to choose.

Ailsa slowly lifted her head, her eyes black as a moonless night. Her face held no trace of emotion as it darkened and the lines began to edge their way from around her eyes and down her cheeks. She let her arm go slack at her sides where she was kneeling in the forest, her fingertips gently brushed the ground. Slowly the grass around her began to wither and die, and as she continued to kneel, the circle of withering vegetation began to grow.